Can opener



H. H. CARTER July 10, 1928.

CAN OPENER Filed May 28, 1927 FNVENTOR. 'zel H. Carter Patented July 19, 1928. i

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HAZEL I-I. CARTER, OF 'NOBWOOD, OHIO.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed May 28, 1927. Serial No. 195,118.

My invention relates to can openers of the T he handle end of bar 1 is offset at 1 to type requiring cutting action to sever the dispose the portion 1" in a different plane' top from the body of the can. from the main portion of bar 1.

The primary objectjot my invention is to Bar 1 is provided near its center wit-h a 5 produce an ellicient and effective can opener plurality of pivot bearings 11. Knife han- 60 which can be readily and easily operated and die arm 12 comprises a flat metal bar of bent one which is adapted to be readily adjusted or angular shape with knife 13-seeured upon for opening cans of varying sizes. its end and provided with hearing 14' by lily invention consists in providing a bar which said arm is pivotally attached to bar having a ratchet-toothed head and having a 1 by pivot pin 15 extending therethrough plurality of laterally projecting points with and secured in detachable relationby catch a pawl pivotally mounted on said bar and or pivot holder 16, shown in Fig. 7. "Said engaging said ratchet teeth under spring pivot pin 15 is provided with an annular pressure, and'aknife or cutter secured on the groove 17 near one end and said catch or end of an arm' pivotally mounted to said pivot holder 16 is formed of a flat spring 1 bar, and adapted to be oscillated forward and metal plate having one end bent upon itbackward on its pivot 'by the hand of the self at right angles to the other portion to opemton I form a handle 16. Catch or pivot holder My invention also consists in the construc- 1G is provided with notch '18 leading into t-ion: combination, location and arrangement an enlarged opening 19 whereby said catch of parts, as herein set forth and claimed. may be inserted into said annular groove 17 In the drawings; and sprung-into position on said pivot-pin Fig; 1 is a plan view of the device in open 1 5 to hold bar 1' and arm 12 in P O r or operative position ready to be applied to t-ion with each other; 7

'2'? a Thus convenient and ready means are pro Fig. 2 is a side or edge elevation; f vidcd by which knife handle arm 12 may be Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-8 of pivoted to bar 1 in any of its bearings 11,. Fi 1; depending upon the size or' can it is desired Fig. l is a section on the line 4E l of toopen. r Fig. 1; I Knife 13 is preferably formed in the shape Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of shown in Fig. 1 with a projecting point 13 V Fi 1; at its forward end to readily enter the can Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective of the when brought into/cutting action and to aspivot and sist in maintaining the cutting relation of 35 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the pivot the knife with the can during the oscillating 9 h ld r; movement or the knife handle arm.

In the embodiment of my invention as When the projecting points 6 of head 5 illustrated and which shows a preferred conhave been pressed into the lid of a can and struction, I provide a flat metal bar 1 havthe pawl is in the position shown in Fig. l,

40 ing near one end eye 2 by which it may be the knile is'b'rought into action against the hung or suspended on a hook or nail, and upper wallof the can by drawing the arm near said eye 2 I provide a bearing hole 3 toward the bar with the hand,- thereby proto receive pivot i by which ratchet head 5 ducing a cutting action by the knife, and as is pivotally secured thereto. Head 5 is prothe cutting proceeds the can is turned in an vided with a plurality of laterally projectanti-clockwise direction, therebypermit-ting ing metal points 6 adapted to be pressed into pawl 7 to pass from one ratchet tooth to the and pierce the can lid by pressure of the next, depending uponthe distance the can is hand of the operator against the flat side turned. The pawl will hold the head from of th bar, turning and forms a resistance against the Pawl T,- pivot-ally attached to bar 1, adjacutting movement of the knife on the cent ratchet head 5, is held in engagement handle. The movement of'cuttingcomprises' with the teeth 8 of ratchet head 5 by a spring a scissors-like. action by which the arm is 05- I 9, one end of which is attached to bar 1 and cillated back and forth toward and against the other end of which bears in slot 10 in the the ofifset portion 1 and thence apart there- 55 back of pawl 7. vfrom during the operation. .110

turnin The device is well adapted for removing the tops or lids of metal cans of cylindrical, square, oblong, or other shapes.

It will be understood that my invention is capable of modification without departure from the scope or spirit thereof as defined in the claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A can opener comprising a bar, a

.ratchet head pivoted thereon and having holding points adapted to pierce the can lid and hold it from turning relative thereto, a spring actuated pawl mounted on said bar and engaging the teeth of said ratchet head, aknife handle arm pivoted to said bar and having a knife on its end adjacent said ratchet head adapted to bedrawn into cutting engagement with a cam by oscillating movement of said arm upon its pivot against the resistance of saidpawl and ratchet head. 2. A can opener comprising a. bar having a ratchet head secured ad acent one end thereof and having its other end portion offset on a plane parallel to its main body portion, projecting points extending laterally from said ratchet head, a spring actuated ratchet engaging the teeth of said ratchet head, a knife handle arm pivoted to said movement thereof, a knife handle arm of bent formation pivoted to said bar and having a knife on one end thereof adapted to be drawn into cutting engagement with a can by drawing the ends of said handle towards said bar and then drawing said bar upon its pivot to engage said pawl with a different tooth on said ratchet head, thereby autonerasao matically sliding the knife handle arm and bar ready for the necessary cutting operation.

4. A can opener comprising a bar having a plurality of bearings between its ends, a ratchet head pivotally attached to said bar, holding points on said ratchet head, a spring actuated pawl adapted to engage the respective teeth of said ratchet head, a knife handle arm, and means for pivotally attaching said knife handle arm in any of said bearings whereby cans of various sizes may be cut open. 7

5. A can opener as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for detachably pivotally connecting the knife arm to the bar comprises a pivot pin having a head on one end and an annular groove near the other end, a catch comprising a spring metal plate having a notch in its end leading into a recess and having a handle adapted to force the converging ends of said catch into said grooves whereby said pin will enter said recess and hold said bar and arm in pivoted relation with each other. i

6. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the knife handle arm is provided with a knife having a cutting'edge terminating in a sharp angle point at its free end whereby said point will readily pierce the can and facilitate the cutting operation.

7. A can opener as claimed in claim l wherein the bar is offset at its handle end to bring the end portion in offset parallel relation with the main portion and whereby said offset portion will form a stop to arrest the movement of the knife handle arm in its movement to cause cutting action of the knife.

8. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bar is adapted to be moved on the pivot connecting the ratchethead and' bar to advance the position of the knifefor each successive cutting operation and whereby the pawl will be advanced into a different ratchet tooth to afford abearing to resist the forward cutting action of the knife upon the can.

HAZEL H. CARTER. 

